The Tennessee Vols need a new wide receivers coach after news broke on Monday that Kodi Burns is taking a job as the New Orleans Saints wide receivers coach.

Burns, who played college football at Auburn, was set to be hired by Josh Heupel at UCF in early 2021. After Heupel took the Tennessee job, Burns made his way to Knoxville to serve as the Volunteers' wide receivers coach this past season.

Heupel will likely want to move quickly to hire a new wide receivers coach, with spring recruiting fixing to ramp up.

On Monday, right after the news of Burns' departure broke, I quickly named three potential options that Heupel could consider.

A day later, here's what I believe is a more complete wide receivers coach hot board for the Vols.

Montario Hardesty — South Carolina RBs coach

I really like the idea of Hardesty, a former Vol running back, returning to Tennessee. Hardesty is currently at a rival program and he has experience coaching wide receivers (he coached wide receivers at Charlotte in 2019 and 2020). It's a win/win for the Volunteers. Plus, Hardesty is a North Carolina native who has deep recruiting connections in the Carolinas.

Kelsey Pope — Tennessee assistant WRs coach

Pope is a well-regarded off-field assistant at Tennessee. If Heupel chooses to promote from within, this would likely be the choice. I don't think this is the direction Heupel will go, but if this ends up being the hire, it would be solid. Specifically for offensive continuity purposes (which is important in Heupel's offense).

Billy Gonzales — Former Florida passing game coordinator/WRs coach

This would be a splashy hire. Gonzales is an Urban Meyer disciple who spent the last eight years of his career with Dan Mullen at Mississippi State and Florida. He also has SEC experience at LSU. Would Gonzales fit on Heupel's staff? It's a different style of offense than what Gonzales has coached. But if he wants to get back in the SEC — he wasn't retained by new Florida head coach Billy Napier — this could be his best shot. Gonzales, by the way, is a solid recruiter — the Gators lost several key wide receiver commits after he wasn't retained by Napier.

Anthony Tucker — Utah State offensive coordinator/QBs coach

This one is probably a long shot. Tucker worked with Heupel at UCF 2018-2020 as his running backs coach/co-offensive coordinator. Tucker has coached wide receivers before so he could fit at Tennessee. But to make this happen, he'd likely need a co-offensive coordinator title or at least a passing game coordinator title. This would be a great hire if Heupel can make it happen — Tucker could hit the ground running thanks to his familiarity with Heupel. Tucker would also help the Vols with west coast recruiting (he played at Fresno State and coached at Lakewood High School in California).

Lonnie Galloway — North Carolina WRs coach

Heupel could also swing big at Galloway, a North Carolina native who has coached wide receivers for his entire 25-year career. He's currently at UNC as the wide receivers coach. Galloway also has experience at Louisville, West Virginia, Wake Forest, and Appalachian State. This would give the Vols another good recruiting connection in the Carolinas if Heupel could lure him to Rocky Top.

DJ Mangas — Former LSU WRs coach/passing game coordinator

DJ Mangas spent the 2021 season as LSU's wide receivers coach/passing game coordinator. He wasn't retained by new Tigers head coach Brian Kelly. Mangas was an offensive analyst on LSU's historic 2019 team that steamrolled their way to a national championship. Mangas then followed Joe Brady — the coach considered the architect of LSU's 2019 offense — to the Carolina Panthers where he served as an offensive assistant. Mangas was Brady's "right-hand man" at LSU in 2019. Mangas also has offensive coordinator experience from his time at William and Mary.

Erik Frazier — Tennessee Titans offensive skill assistant

I always like to throw in a total wild card option. Erik Frazier is currently an offensive assistant with the Tennessee Titans. He has college coaching experience coaching wide receivers at Montana State, Western Illinois, Northwestern (as a graduate assistant), and Dayton. There are no obvious connections, but every now and then a hire like this is made in the SEC.

David Johnson — Florida State RBs coach

Johnson was the Vols' wide receivers coach in 2018 and running backs coach in 2019. He left the Vols after the 2019 season for Florida State amid "trust issues". Now that former Vols head coach Jeremy Pruitt is gone (those were the trust issues) and Mike Norvell is on the hot seat at Florida State, could Johnson look to return to Tennessee?

This would be a huge hire for Heupel. Johnson is a New Orleans native who has deep recruiting connections in Memphis.

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